200-901 Application Deployment and Security Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of application deployment and security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are recommended practices for securing a CI/CD pipeline in a DevOps environment? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Store secrets and credentials in a secure vault and inject them at runtime
Option A is correct because storing secrets (e.g., API keys, database passwords) in a secure vault (like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager) and injecting them at runtime prevents hard-coded credentials in source code or configuration files. This follows the principle of least privilege and ensures that secrets are never exposed in logs, version control, or build artifacts, which is a fundamental security practice for CI/CD pipelines.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Store secrets and credentials in a secure vault and inject them at runtime
Why this is correct
Keeps secrets out of source code and build logs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Grant all developers write access to the production environment to enable faster fixes
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege should be enforced; only authorized personnel should have production access.
✗
Deploy code to production first, then run security tests to check for issues
Why it's wrong here
Security tests should be run before production deployment.
✓
Scan container images for known vulnerabilities as part of the build pipeline
Why this is correct
Helps catch vulnerabilities before deployment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use the same API token for all pipeline stages to simplify authentication
Why it's wrong here
Sharing tokens reduces security; tokens should be scoped per stage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that security testing can be deferred to post-production (Option C) or that shared credentials simplify management (Option E), but the correct answers emphasize proactive security (scanning early) and credential isolation (vault injection).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Container image scanning (Option D) typically integrates tools like Trivy, Clair, or Snyk into the build pipeline to check against CVE databases (e.g., NVD) and block images with critical vulnerabilities. Under the hood, these tools parse the image layers and package manifests (e.g., dpkg, RPM, Alpine APK) to identify installed software versions and match them against known vulnerabilities, often using OCI-compliant image formats. In a real-world scenario, a pipeline might fail the build if a base image contains a high-severity CVE like CVE-2023-44487, preventing deployment until the image is rebuilt with patched dependencies.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Application Deployment and Security — This question tests Application Deployment and Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Store secrets and credentials in a secure vault and inject them at runtime — Option A is correct because storing secrets (e.g., API keys, database passwords) in a secure vault (like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager) and injecting them at runtime prevents hard-coded credentials in source code or configuration files. This follows the principle of least privilege and ensures that secrets are never exposed in logs, version control, or build artifacts, which is a fundamental security practice for CI/CD pipelines.
What should I do if I get this 200-901 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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